Wayne Simmonds May Be Your Huckleberry

Mike Richards has the spotlight. I look elsewhere. Wayne Simmonds. Superman. The player we loved, still do and, while I do that trade 100 out of 100 times, few wanted to see leave.

I was of the opinion, one shared by others, that Wayne Simmonds did not get a fair shake last season. Murray matched him against the opponent’s toughest lines, Wayne embraced his defensive role and naturally suffered in the offensive department. The Flyers’ head coach, Peter Laviolette, had a different plan. Simmonds gets close to 15 minutes of ice time per game, is placed on the powerplay (including the first unit), offensive situations as well as on the grinding lines. In other words, the Flyers are using Wayne Simmonds as a true power forward, as it should be. So far, he has a goal and assist in 3 games.

The Wayne Simmonds I watched for 3 seasons is going to have a chip on his shoulder tonight and will be ready to flex his muscles at both ends of the ice. Expect him on the first powerplay unit. Expect him in key offensive situations. Will the gloves stay on? We shall see. I will watch for his interaction with Jack Johnson. I do suspect Drew Doughty will have a smile for Wayne and vice versa. Perhaps after the game, regardless of the result, they may have a few minutes to catch up – Drew will be buying of course.

Dont trade Bernier. Trade Stoll and a d prospect for two good bottom 6 wingers and play Loki in place of Stoll. That’s my fix (if we are talking trades). Bernier gets traded next year if we don’t get Parise in an effort to replace Penner.

Also, we are off to a terrible start. Moreau has handled the puck more than any other zing 8 minutes in.

You make trades to better your team, not because you want to help out a player. The Kings are better with Bernier as a backup than they are without him. Stop insisting the Kings make a move to make a 22 year old happy.

Just that you say ‘why not?’ is silly. Why do you put the needs of one player over the needs of the team? If you want a third line winger you can trade any number of our plethora of defensive prospects.

You’ve seen the backup goaltender played like a backup. This is the first season where Murray has said he will ride the hot hand regardless of number 1 and backup designations, which is why, 4 games in, it’s retarded to say trade him because they don’t believe in him.

“This is the first season where Murray has said he will ride the hot hand regardless of number 1 and backup designations”

… Bullshit. He said it last season too, and he didn’t stick with it. Bernier’s last start of the season was a shutout. He just didn’t want to fucking use Bernier. And that’s all good – just trade the guy and bring in a REAL backup goalie, not a guy who’s starting caliber and being misused.

Because the Philly fans knew they were gonna walk out of the game with his dick broken off in their asses. That’s why.

It’s almost like — to paraphrase Doolittle — they WANTED it to happen, they WAITED for it to happen, they WILLED it to happen. They came to the game dreaming that they’d be anally raped by a Richards assist in overtime.

I remember the cheers Dave Schulz got when he returned to the Spectrum, but now as a King. The whole arena gushed love and appreciation. But the instant he bopped a Flyer into the boards he turned into The Asshole from the Black Lagoon.

You may recall when we traded Krushelnyski and — because he’d been concussed and we thought he was all washed up — Tony Granato. We cheered them when they returned to our ice. But as soon as they FUCKED US — which they both did — they became anathema!

Why should it be any different with Richards. Not only is our team referred to as “Philly West”, but — despite all the denials and equivocations — our fans are quite the same as our east coast counterparts. We just wear different clothes and sport more celebs per square yard.

So is Penner, even though he keeps getting ice time. Very concerned thought that Drew is already missing time from a hit near the head. Penner stepping up to fight that idiot is the best thing he’s done as a King.

Either way, I thought the play he made was a bit much, a minute into the game i want to see him gain the zone and dish the puck, not try and fight his way through the middle like that with his head down.

I don’t think Doughty’s going to be doing much of anything today….. lol (no, that injury was serious and we should treat it as such). I think he should open up a tab for both teams after the game, though…. it’s not like he can’t afford it.
anyway…. Simmonds is a great guy and an excellent player with lots of potential for even more improvement. But orange is not his color. at all. <3